Russian Brown Bears

[brotherbear]

The following pages marked 'Quote' are quotes from my book, 'Realms of the Russian Bear' by John Sparks. This covers more than only the Ussuri brown bear ( black grizzly ). This book is the 'Companion to the public television series; published in 1992.
Quote: The Great Russia Bear ... From time immemorial, the Russians have regarded the Brown Bear with a mixture of awe and endearment. Whereas its might and unpredictable temper have led people to respect it, its sad hazel eyes and the tender affection shown by the mother bear towards her cubs have made this burly, flat-footed creature one of the most popular animals in the Commonwealth of Independent States. The Russian word for the Brown Bear is 'medved', referring to its legendary love of honey, but in the many folk tales in which it features, it is given nicknames such as the male name Misha, Mishka ( an affectionate diminutive ) or Koslapy ( referring to its turned-in toes ). Though clearly strong, Misha is often a touch lazy and often outwitted by the wicked wolf or by Lisa Patrikeyevna, the cunning fox.

If taken as cubs, bears are easily tamed, and many are still pressed into service in city circuses, where they are often dressed up and made to dance, ride bicycles and juggle. Sadly, despite the love that the Russian people have for these great shaggy mammals, large numbers are killed by hunters, even during the winter, when their lairs are found with the help of courageous laika dogs; when the sleepy occupants emerge, they are shot.

Bears need space, preferring thick woodland with a mixture of coniferous and deciduous trees, and the territory of the former Soviet Union can still provide of both. Nevertheless, they occur from the tundra's southern boundary to the great mountain ranges of the south, and from the forests bordering the Baltic Sea to the shores of the Pacific. What was the Soviet Union could justifiably be called the 'Realms of the Russian Bear'. The only regions that do not contain bears are the dry steppes and the deserts of Central Asia. Reply